Local Students Win National Latin Honors

LENOX & STOCKBRIDGE, MA (05/02/2007)(readMedia)-- Berkshire Country Day, an independent school serving pre-school through secondary grades, is pleased to announce that 19 middle and high school students were awarded certificates and medals for their high scores on the 2007 National Latin Exam. The NLE exam is sponsored both by the American Classical League and the National Junior Classical League. More than 134,000 students from all 50 states and thirteen foreign countries took the test in March.

For the Introduction to Latin, an outstanding achievement certificate was earned by seventh grader Stephanie Fanelli of Dalton, MA. An achievement certificate was earned by seventh grader Susanna Yudkin of Lenox, MA.

For the Latin I National Exam, a silver medal and maxima cum laude was earned by seventh grader Byron Hutchison of Kinderhook, NY, and eighth graders Andrew Campoli and Charlotte Selke of Pittsfield, MA, and Jordan Gittzus of Canaan, NY. Magna cum Laude was earned by seventh grader Claire Meyer of West Stockbridge, MA and eighth grader Emily Tobin of Williamsburg, MA. Cum Laude was earned by eighth graders Ann Alexander of Dalton, MA; Kathryn Ansel of New Lebanon, NY; Jeffrey Lowenstein of Sheffield, MA; Thad Pinakiewicz of Williamstown, MA; and Meghan Ryan of Lenox, MA.

For the Latin II National Exam, magna cum laude was earned by eighth grader Anashya Srinivasan of Pittsfield, MA.

For the Latin III Prose Exam, a gold medal and summa cum laude was earned by ninth grader Jamila Benkhoud of Pittsfield, MA. A silver medal and maxima cum laude was earned by ninth grader Patrick Hennessey of Richmond., MA. Cum laude was earned by ninth grader Thomas Meyer of West Stockbridge, MA.

For the Latin IV Poetry Exam, a gold medal and summa cum laude was earned by tenth grader Ben Grossman-Ponemon of Pittsfield, MA. Cum laude was earned by tenth grader Alexa Green, also of Pittsfield. Beginning in sixth grade, students at BCD can enroll in Latin with teachers Eugénie Fawcett of Tyringham, MA and Marcia Jones of Pittsfield, MA.

"We are extremely proud of all of our students for their exceptional placements on this year’s National Latin Exam," says BCD Head of School Rob Peterson. "It is a testament to the quality of our long standing Latin program and our faculty’s commitment to excellence."

ABOUT BERKSHIRE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL Founded in 1946 and celebrating its 60th anniversary year, BCD is an independent school serving preschool through secondary grades. BCD is an academically rigorous school with a caring community in which students and teachers share in the process of learning. Steadfast in its commitment to learning in the spirit of inquiry and discovery, the school community is dedicated to encouraging academic excellence at the highest level, advancing each student's unique potential for well-rounded development, and fostering responsive and responsible citizenship. More information can be found at www.berkshirecountryday.org.